00:00Following the U.S. annihilation of mine-laying Iranian ships near the Strait of Hormuz,
00:04at least three cargo ships near the strategically important shipping lane have been struck,
00:09as the Islamic Republic vows to launch its most intense assault of the war so far.
00:14But what exactly is the Strait of Hormuz?
00:16And what makes it such a strategically important route in the war with Iran?
00:21Here's what to know.
00:22On Tuesday, March 10th, U.S. forces obliterated several Iranian Navy vessels,
00:27including 16 mine-layers, near the Strait of Hormuz,
00:31as President Trump warned the Islamic Republic against planting explosives along the critical global trade route.
00:36The vital shipping lane in the Middle East carries about 20% of the world's oil supply.
00:41The 30-mile-wide choke point is the only passage by sea connecting the Persian Gulf
00:46to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and is bordered by Iran to the north.
00:51According to the United States Energy Information Administration,
00:54over 80% of the crude oil and liquefied gas that moves through the Strait went to Asia in 2024,
01:01with China, India, Japan, and South Korea as top destinations.
01:06Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic in the narrow strait since the war began,
01:11warning that any ship passing through the strait will be targeted.
01:14The move from the Islamic Republic is aimed at generating enough global economic pain
01:19to pressure the United States and Israel to end their strikes,
01:23with global oil prices having surged to highs not seen since 2022.
01:28In comments addressed to the United States, a spokesperson for Iran's military command
01:32said the world should be prepared for oil to hit an unprecedented price of $200 a barrel,
01:38after three more ships came under attack in the blockaded Gulf,
01:41bringing the number of ships struck in the region since the Iran conflict began
01:45to at least 14, according to Reuters.
01:48The strikes on Wednesday, March 11, included a Thai-flagged bulk vessel
01:52that was struck by two projectiles while sailing through the strait,
01:56with images shared by the Thai Navy showing smoke pouring out of the back of the ship,
02:00which was forced to evacuate.
02:01Earlier, a Japan-flagged container ship sustained minor damage from a projectile
02:06while at anchor near the strait,
02:08as well as a Marshall Islands-flagged ship that was struck by a projectile on its hull.
02:13Iran claimed responsibility for the attack on the Thai vessel,
02:16claiming it ignored the warnings to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz,
02:20and that, quote,
02:25The Islamic Republic did not explicitly claim responsibility for the attacks
02:29on the other two ships, recorded by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations,
02:33a British monitoring group.
02:35Iran has said that there are 300 ships waiting to pass through either side of the strait,
02:39but according to President Trump, they won't be waiting long.
02:43Now the tankers are being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz,
02:46how are you going to ensure the safety of oil flowing through there?
02:49I think you're going to see great safety, and it's going to be very, very quickly.
02:52U.S. Central Command has also warned Iranian civilians
02:55to keep clear of ports used by Islamic Republic forces,
02:59to launch attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
03:02The attacks come after Iran began ramping up its attacks on Israel,
03:05the Persian Gulf, and Dubai on March 11th,
03:08with a volley of ballistic missiles and drones fired across the region,
03:12according to state media reports.
03:15The strikes were part of the most intense operation
03:17since the beginning of the war, Iran's state media reported.
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